How Crown Molding Can Transform a Room

Have you ever walked into a house and noticed that something was missing? You couldn't put a finger on exactly what it was…until you looked up. Then, you understood: the missing piece of the puzzle was crown molding! It just goes to prove that a room is not complete without it. When you think about it,
crown molding is the cherry on the top of a beautiful room.

Many of the older hotels in Europe seem to take crown molding quite seriously; walking into them is an object lesson in making a room grand, just by the addition of that small detail. If you've ever been to "the South" – Georgia, the Carolinas, Alabama, Louisiana and surrounding states – or any place where the houses are at least 80-100 years old, you no doubt have noticed that every one of those old houses seem to always have crown moldings atop the walls. Even the plainest, most modest house would have some type of crown molding in every room. The newer houses don't seem to have them, do they? That's a real shame, because that small and apparently insignificant detail can do so much for a room without any other changes – practically transforming it into something elegant and stately.

Crown molding can be simple or extremely ornate. If you've been to a do-it-yourself (DIY) store, you've seen base boards. They're kind of similar to what you might think crown molding is, but they're pretty plain for the most part. With some stores, you can't tell the difference of which goes on the bottom and which goes on the top. But, with our crown moldings, you can really let your imagination fly.

There are so many styles available, that you will have a hard time choosing. The good news is, you can get away with a little difference in the style of the molding in each room, if they are visually separated from each other. For instance, for the entryway and living room, you can create a sense of drama and elegance by choosing ornately detailed molding, use certain styles of
molding to hide indirect lighting or create a shelf to place plants (either real or silk, depending on the lighting in the area) that gracefully flow downward, seemingly right from the ceiling. For the dining room, choose a beautiful style to compliment your dining room set. For the bedrooms, add crown molding to draw attention to an attractive ceiling fan, or in the kids’ bedrooms to frame a fancifully painted ceiling. For the TV room or office, you can use some styles of crown moldings to hide cables and other unsightly cords, making the clutter virtually disappear.

Think of crown molding the way you might think of framing a painting. When you look at the prospect of pulling a room together, before you consider the furniture, lamps and other pieces of decor, think first about adding
crown molding to the room.